Re: SQL keywords are suddenly case sensitive

On 04/16/2013 08:23 PM, Tom Lane wrote:
> Lee Hachadoorian <Lee.Hachadoorian+L@gmail.com> writes:
>> SQL seems to be behaving in a case-sensitive manner:
>> universe=# select 1;
>>    ?column?
>> ----------
>>           1
>> (1 row)
>> universe=# SELECT 1;
>> ERROR:  syntax error at or near "SELECT 1"
>> LINE 1: SELECT 1;
>>           ^
> That's really bizarre, but I don't think it's a case sensitivity problem
> as such.  Watch what I get from a syntax error on a normally-functioning
> system:
>
> $ psql
> psql (9.1.9)
> Type "help" for help.
>
> regression=# select 1;
>   ?column?
> ----------
>          1
> (1 row)
>
> regression=# SELECT 1;
>   ?column?
> ----------
>          1
> (1 row)
>
> regression=# xELECT 1;
> ERROR:  syntax error at or near "xELECT"
> LINE 1: xELECT 1;
>          ^
>
> See the differences?  The error message indicates that your parser saw
> "SELECT 1" as all one token.  Also, if you transcribed this accurately,
> it looks like the error cursor is pointing to the second character of
> the "SELECT" not the first (could you confirm that?).  Which is even
> more bizarre.  I'm not sure what's going on, but I think it's more
> likely to be something to do with whitespace not being really whitespace
> than it is with case as such.  Consider the possibility that you're
> somehow typing a non-breaking space or some such character.  One thing
> that might be useful is to examine the error report in the postmaster
> log using an editor that will show you any non-printing characters.
>
>             regards, tom lane

Tom,

Yes, nonbreaking spaces was the problem. Sorry for the red herring re:
case sensitivity, and thanks for figuring it out. Adrian, thanks for
your input as well.

Best,
--Lee

--
Lee Hachadoorian
Assistant Professor in Geography, Dartmouth College
http://freecity.commons.gc.cuny.edu